A dish best served flaming
by T-Rex Marine
Summary: Burnt, broken and buried, Sharkface could take it all. But when he finds out his team has been killed, Sharkface is filled with only one sole desire: kill Carolina.


Everything was blurry when Sharkface woke up. Everything was a haze of bright light and white walls, each behind several shadowy objects that resembled machines in some way. He could hear the sound of beeping next to him. A sort of a high pitched heartbeat.

Beep-boop. Beep-boop.

The constant noise was really beginning to get on his nerves. He turned to confront the source of the noise when…

"Ah! Fuck's sake that hurts!"

A short sharp burst of pain shot through his whole body. He shut down completely, opting not to move again, lest he risk straining himself worse.

"What happened to be? That felt like a buncha hornets got trapped in ma body and their pissed off!"

He tried to think back to what happened to him.

 _Okay let's see. Me an' the guys were sent to deal with the Freelancers. I found two of em', used ma' flamethrower, then…_

Sharkface's train of thought halted as another searing wave of pain pierced the nerves on the left side of his face. It felt like a thousand needles were being shoved into the left of his skull and dragged down slowly.

"Gah! Why does my face hurt so mu…

 _Oh. The hammer right. That blue bitch. Wait a minute? Those dickheads dropped the whole tower on me! What the fu…_

Suddenly he heard a door swing open. He worked through the agony of sitting up straight to see who was coming in.

He was happy to see four familiar figures. Demo, now with a cybernetic arms walked in and leaned up against the wall. He folded his arms and nodded.

"Oh ho ho man, and I thought I felt like shit".

He walked up towards his friend's bed and pulled up a chair beside Sharkface.

"Jesus. You've got half a face man. You're like a Batman villain."

Sharkface chuckled.

"Least I got both my arms asshole", he grinned.

Demo laughed, patting Sharkface on the shoulder.

"Hey guys he's up".

Sharkface turned to see three figures in red and black clamber through the door like a bunch of pups hearing the dinner bell.

He was greeted by Sniper, holding a "Get Well" card with a bullseye on it.

Sleeves who clapped his massive hands in glee to see his buddy alive.

And Girlie, who had tears in her eyes and had flung her arms wide open as she catapulted towards Sharkface.

With a thud, Girlie landed on Sharkface. She took the breath right out of him, due to seeing her gorgeous face and because her hug might have collapsed a lung.

"Whoa, easy there doll. Save some bones for the Freelancers to break", Sharkface quipped.

"You had me worried sick you ass!", she shot back, her voice raised but still with a smile.

Sharkface relaxed a little, snaking his hands gently around Girlie as he returned the hug.

"Hey Girlie, you're makin' me lonely here", said a Sleeves in a fake sad puppy dog voice.

"Aw big guy, you know I wouldn't leave ya".

Girlie got up of Sharkface and turned back to tap her boyfriend playfully on the nose.

Sharkface smiled at the two lovebirds. In this line of work, you didn't get a lot of good sights. Young men torn to pieces by turret fire, old friends at each other's throats and the sight of a hundred new war torn cities over the same old problems.

Seeing these two always managed to melt his heart. She was a bit of a wildcard and he could be a bit of a meat head, but when the two were together, there wasn't a damn thing that would come between them.

Truly, they were precious to him.

Sleeves walked up to Sharkface, outstretching one of his hands.

Honestly, you wouldn't be surprised if they just shaved a bear and stuffed him in sleeveless armour. The guy was a walking tower of muscle. Sharkface clasped his hand to Sleeves and squeezed as tightly as the pain would allow him to.

"Good to see you in one piece Sharky. Mostly".

"Thanks big guy".

The two released each other's hands. Though he couldn't see past his helmet, Sleeves head movement suggested a more serious thought occupied his mind. Sharkface frowned and asked, "What's wrong big guy?"

"It's...nothin".

Sharkface knew he was lying and was about to press for some answers when Sniper impatiently squeezed in between Demo and Sleeves to pass the card to him.

"Hey dude, made it myself. Really hope you get back on your feet soon".

Sharkface gratuitously reached for the card. Sniper was the newest member of the team and was a little overexcited at times. It got on Demo's nerves like crazy, but deep down, everyone loved his enthusiasm.

Sharkface leaned back into his bed and opened the card. Everyone signed it. The twins, the boss even the new chick. What's her name? Connie that's it. She's alright.

"Thanks kid", groaned Sharkface as he set the card on his bedside table.

"No problem bro".

Girlie stepped forward. She pulled out a small bundle of flowers and placed them beside the card.

Sharkface chuckled in delight. His team was the best.

But something was wrong. They looked a bit sad.

"Come on guys, no silent treatment. What's up?"

No one spoke right away. Then Demo, as usual, was the first to speak his mind.

"They wasted us. Those super soldier, lab rat bastards totalled us".

Sniper placed a hand on Demo's shoulder.

"Hey man, you know that's not what happened…"

"You didn't lose an arm! Or get a damn hammer tossed into your face. What makes you think you can say…"

Sleeves cleared his throat and Demo stopped.

"Sorry kid. I'm not mad at you it's just…Shark we let ya down".

 _Ah._

"Guys, don't blame yourselves. It was my own damn fault. No harm done".

Girlie banged her fist on the bedside table.

"No harm done? They burned half your face off with the hammer and left you to die! If we didn't find you…

She shook her head furiously.

"Those Freelancers think their soldiers but they're not. They're just a failed experiment".

Sleeves brought his girlfriend into a hug, calming her down.

"Hey babe, chill. We'll get em next time".

She looked up at Sleeves a stretched up to give him a kiss, earning an "aw" from Sniper and Sharkface and a forced wretch from Demo.

She looked back at Sharkface and smiled again. "I ever see that blue bitch again, I'm carvin' your name into her skull".

"Heh heh, deal".

Girlie settled back to her usual self.

"So Girlie, jealous that I'm the prettiest member of the team now?", he joked, gesturing to his facial scars.

Girlie chuckled.

"Well I'm still the prettiest _girl_ on the team".

"Now hold on now Girlie, what about that Connie girl?", quipped Demo.

 _Oh God here he goes again._

"Who, the boss' girl?" Sniper joined in.

"Yeah the short one. I mean have you seen _her_? Ooh la la!"

Girlie held her head up indignantly, trying not to take the bait.

"Some people have no standards", she replied.

"Aw Girlie, you're just mad she has better hair than you", Demo snarked.

 _Oh Demo you didn't._

Girlie's eyes shot wide open and she pounced on Demo, the two playfully sparing.

She was a very patient woman but if you dared to insult her beloved blond locks, there'd be hell to pay.

"Ah! Not the good arm! Ow! Ow! Okay I give!"

"Who has the most luscious hair in the galaxy?"

"You do".

"What?"

"Ah! You do! You do!"

She released him and he dropped to the floor, chuckling.

"You remembered that hold I taught you", Sharkface commented.

"I'm improving it", she replied.

"Atta girl".

Sniper's comm started to bleep.

"It's the boss. Says he wants us back, on the double".

"Freelancers", Demo hissed.

Sharkface flashed them a prideful grin.

"You can take em without me. Not as stylish of course but you'll manage".

They all said their goodbyes and turned to leave. Sleeves was the last to go.

"Hey Sharky"

"Yeah man?"

"Get better okay? Team's not the same without ya".

Sharkface nodded. "Got it bro. Give em hell".

The pair parted with a thumbs up and with that, Sharkface was alone.

 _Not for long though._

The maimed soldier nestled into his pillow and closed his eyes.

He'd need to be well rested for when the team got back.

It was three weeks since the team's visit.

 _Must've been one hell of a fight._

Sharkface played around with a few spray cans given to him in a parcel sent by the twins. He was just about finished.

It was a little mural of the whole team, even Connie, bursting out of flames In a badass pose.

A knock at the door.

 _Finally._

"It's open", he called.

He was disappointed to see not any of the guys, but his doctor.

"Hello Mr…um"

"It's cool doc you can call me Sharkface".

"Oh yes, very well. Mr Sharkface, I'd like to talk to you about…"

Sharkface sighed deeply.

 _Christ more tests? What part of me haven't they examined?!_

"Doctor, I appreciate your concern but I'd like to see my team. Maybe if you could get me a phone…"

"Actually Mr Sharkface, that's what I'm here about".

 _Yes! They're back!_

Sharkface immediately broke into a mile wide grin. It startled the doctor a bit.

"Well why didn't ya say so? Look if its past visitin hours, I don't mind. Look just give em half an hour…"

"Sir…"

"Too many people? Well how about this, get Sleaves and Girlie in and they'll let them know I'm getting better and I'll be back real soon…"

"Sir, I uh…"

"And then, just clear some of my tests for next week. I mean, I've done enough physical recuperation for the month right? Just one week to catch up on old times. I'm tellin ya it'll really help me recover in the long run…"

"Mr Sharkface", the doctor said, elevating his voice slightly.

"Oh sorry. What is it?"

The doctor didn't say anything for an unusually long amount of time and held his clipboard to his chest.

"Sir your team is not here".

Sharkface was clearly disappointed.

"What then, they called?"

The doctor just looked down.

 _Somethin's not right._

Sharkface was beginning to get angry and scared.

"Spit it out doc, what is it?"

"I'm sorry Mr Sharkface. But Charon Industries has filed a report on your team's mission to apprehend the Freelancer Agents. The skirmish was brutal. There were no survivors".

Time froze.

Sharkface's jaws hung open, trembling, unable to form words. His head shook back and forth, as if trying to cast out what he'd just heard.

 _No. Oh dear God please no!_

"I'm sorry sir, they're dead".

Sharkface could feel the tears welling up in his one good eye, scorching down his face.

"No", he whimpered. He then descended into a sobbing frenzy of cries. "Oh God in heaven please no! Not them, no! No! Goddammit No! NO!

He couldn't hold back the violent shudders, crashing through his damaged body and causing him immense pain but he didn't care. His soul's torment by far outweighed his body's pain.

He roared and bellowed like an animal, howling to heavens to bring his friends back.

"G-girlie….Sleeves….Demo…"his voice crackled.

Oh how it tortured him to say their names. To confirm their deaths.

He slowed his breathing down. He face crunched into a frown. His teeth bared like the animal he was named after and his appearance twice as fierce.

Someone had to pay.

"Who. Led. The attack", he growled. His voice a calm warning to the rage that threatened to erupt.

"I'm not privileged to reveal such information sir. Not without clearance from…"

"Who led the fucking attack!?", he roared.

His doctor, not willing to further antagonise his patient, decided to placate him. He handed a profile on the Freelancer leader.

It was…

 _Her._

"She is known as Agent Carolina. She is the team's leader".

 _Carolina. I'll remember that name 'til the day I die. Which I swear will NOT be before she does!_

He crushed the clipboard in his hands.

"Leave".

The doctor was about to say something but Sharkface just wanted to be alone.

"Out! Get the fuck out! Just…just leave me alone! NOW!"

The doctor nodded and left the room.

As soon as he was gone, Sharkface began to tear his bedsheets apart, ripped his pillows and bent the bed's metal railings. All the while snarling and howling like a caged beast.

Then, folded in on himself and sobbed uncontrollably.

 _They're gone._

He'd never hear Demo's snarky remarks. Or Sleeves' warm, kind words. Or Sniper's cheerful voice. And he'd never get to spray paint stuff on the ship with Girlie anymore.

 _I've lost them all._

"No…", he muttered.

 _They weren't lost. They were taken from me._

 _Carolina took them from me._

He pressed a piece of splintered wood against his right palm. He pressed it there until it drew blood.

"I swear guys. This day, this hour, I am going to devote my whole life to making that woman's life a living, fuckin nightmare!"

 _Carolina. Carolina._

The name was tattooed into his thoughts.

 _Carolina. You are mine._

"There's no need for hostility."

Sharkface pauses.

 _Is he fricken serious?"_

He turns around to face the Councillor.

"I beg to differ. See, those super soldier freaks dropped a building on me. They left me for dead. And then they killed, my friends!"

 _This is for you guys._

"They took away the only family, I ever had, while I was in physical fucking therapy. There is plenty of need for hostility here, Councillor".

He doesn't seem scared at all. Tough guy. Gotta give him credit.

"Then perhaps you should do your best to channel that energy", he calmly replies.

Sharkface snorts.

 _Oh yeah, I'll channel my energy alright._

He turns to finish his work. His flamethrowers nearly ready.

 _Fitting really._

Felix and Locus can go to hell for all he cares. The colonists, the mercs, this Control prick, none of em matter.

He just wants Carolina.

They tell him soon.

Soon is too long. But he waits.

He'll get his chance. And when he does.

Oh it's gonna be beautiful.

 _You're gonna burn for what you did to me Carolina. I'll send you to hell myself, screaming in agony._

He finishes his twin flamethrowers and gives them a little test run.

Perfect.

And for the first time in years, Sharkface feels happy again.

 _Who says revenge is a dish best served cold?_


End file.
